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The royal family
Original poster

Thoughts on Prince William's speech?

550 replies

Aspiringmatriarch · 22/05/2021 12:12

I've been musing on this, I'm not sure I agree with the idea that the Bashir interview created a 'false narrative'. Obviously Diana was lied to, which is appalling, and I'm sure that fueled some of her paranoia but isn't it true that she was spied on at times e.g. with the squidgygate tapes? And she'd already collaborated with Andrew Morton saying many of the same things, and apparently wanted to do an interview after Charles gave his.

I don't know... it just feels odd to me that William is essentially asking for it to be struck from the record. He was apparently angry with her after the Bashir interview and was teased about it at school, which must have been horrible. Is he trying to protect her memory or is there an element of trying to tidy it all away?

OP posts:
Original poster
Aspiringmatriarch · 22/05/2021 20:20

Gyoza I agree she seems to be a strong person with good support. I can't in a million years imagine her doing a tell-all interview. But what would happen with the children? They're all in line for the throne. That's where it gets tricky imo. And even if she was lawyered up, the RF have far more resources to call on.

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PicsInRed · 22/05/2021 20:32

@Aspiringmatriarch

I agree, though, that if things ever went wrong she'd be thrown to the wolves just like the rest

Yes, and this is what worries me with Kate. Who knows if she's really happy or not? I hope so, but she must be well aware that things will not go well for her if she ever wanted to leave.

The monarch has full custody of the children in close proximity to the throne - soon enough, that's Charles or William - and imagine, either your FIL or your ex husband having full legal custody of your children. There are few prospects as terrifying as losing your children, and without foreign citizenship to even somewhat influence the outcome, well, Kate will simply have to do as she's told, no matter what.
PicsInRed · 22/05/2021 20:35

ohforarainyday

Yes, I've been accused of being some sort of Russian subversive before. Putin and I, we're like this. 🤞😁

Ickythefirebobby · 22/05/2021 20:39

@Babymeanswashing

It’s hard to say. Diana probably feels slightly unreal to W at this point.
I doubt his mother feels unreal.
Roussette · 22/05/2021 20:43

Oh my, me too! I've been accused of being a bot, a paid shill, Doria, and repeatedly an employee of SS.
I'm a boring OAP sat in her kitchen on a bar stool with a glass of wine or three
I think it's meant to shut down opinion? no idea I just laugh

Roussette · 22/05/2021 20:44

And even if she was lawyered up, the RF have far more resources to call on.

^^ This
Very scary

derxa · 22/05/2021 20:55

(Not a criticism of Will and Kate, You could have fooled me. I love them both and wish them all the best.

AnnunciataZ · 22/05/2021 21:11

@derxa

(Not a criticism of Will and Kate, You could have fooled me. I love them both and wish them all the best.
You love them? How can you love people you don't know? At least I assume you don't know them, I could be wrong!
AnnunciataZ · 22/05/2021 21:14

Good summary @ohforarainyday. Some of their PR just seems so obvious but the public still fall for it.

Babymeanswashing · 22/05/2021 21:23

My mum died the same year as Diana icky and she does feel unreal.

newtb · 22/05/2021 21:24

PC and Camilla's affair continued without a break all through the 80s, they each used to take taxis in relay to reach a common point. Have an uncle who used to have a taxi business in London.

eddiemairswife · 22/05/2021 21:25

Does 'the public' really care about all this? The newspapers do, but for most readers it is a welcome diversion from Covid and the Israel/Palestine conflict. And don't younger people get most of their news from Twitter nowadays?

Roussette · 22/05/2021 21:26

I don't love any of the RF. I don't hate them either.

They are just part of the British psyche (is that the right word?!) Part of the furniture maybe.
My views on them have changed enormously over the last few years, I used to be quite the royalist but not any more.

HmmmmmmInteresting · 22/05/2021 21:44

@picturesandpickles

I was surprised William made such a speech. What a mess it is all turning into, all the fallings out and raking over history.
He and Kate obviously now feel they have to up their game. They're competing with H&M. It's not enough to have a stiff upper lip and 'never explain or complain', hiding behind the palace walls. It's a PR exercise, because many people believe he was the one that 'expressed concerns' over Archie's skin tone. Hence the YouTube channel and trying to look all relateable. .
Roussette · 22/05/2021 21:54

Yep.

I am just not sure how the RF can be 'relateable' in this day and age. A near impossible task I would say

I really abhor the 'don't explain, don't complain' soundbite. They should explain given they are funded by us. Not a popular view I know but the opacity needs to change. Of course they can't complain, how could they given their position?

Blossomtoes · 22/05/2021 21:57

@Roussette

Yep.

I am just not sure how the RF can be 'relateable' in this day and age. A near impossible task I would say

I really abhor the 'don't explain, don't complain' soundbite. They should explain given they are funded by us. Not a popular view I know but the opacity needs to change. Of course they can't complain, how could they given their position?

The royal families of other European Royal families seem to have cracked being relatable. Maybe they should check out what they’re doing and see how they could emulate it.
Blossomtoes · 22/05/2021 21:58

Don’t know where that extra royal families came from!

PurpleBiro21 · 22/05/2021 22:02

@Blossomtoes the other European royals generally have proper careers don't they? Not sure that’s appealing to this lot...

GyozaPoser · 22/05/2021 22:05

@ohforarainyday MM was never going to be an asset. She seems rather uncompromising in her views and didn't exactly come in looking to understand how it all works and how she could be most effective. It was all about her and what she needed/wanted. Being an expat isn't easy and assimilating takes time. She's been very happy to fling the RF under the bus when it was Charles who DID walk her down the isle. Surely her mental health issues were caused mostly by her absolutely diabolical father/half sister. It just feels like that is too painful for her so she's choosing to focus on a softer target.

If someone married my brother who was culturally very different from my family and seemed to offend people at ever turn I can't imagine anyone would be first in line to help her. Harry and Meghan are adults. If she needed help they should have gotten it for her. They were wary of her and that instinct seems to have been right.

SunshineCake · 22/05/2021 22:05

I think you are missing the point. If Diana hadn't thought so many officials were against her she would have perhaps kept the security and not been in the car that crashed.

I very much doubt that William and Catherine are, or feel they have to, compete with Harry and Meghan.

Roussette · 22/05/2021 22:07

Maybe they should check out what they’re doing and see how they could emulate it

Totally agree. (again?!)

I think we're stuck in the past with our RF. Not a popular opinion but I think the Queen should've stood down years ago to allow a smooth transition to Charles for a few years, then William. But this way... it's going to be a huge change for a largely unpopular next reigning Monarch. Not ideal.

Other European RFs older monarchs have stood down. QElizabeth has set too high a standard that just can't be matched.

Blossomtoes · 22/05/2021 22:09

[quote PurpleBiro21]@Blossomtoes the other European royals generally have proper careers don't they? Not sure that’s appealing to this lot...[/quote]
I don’t know, do they? I thought they were just a bit lower key than ours. With a reduced number of them to carry out public engagements now I can’t see where they’d find the time for other jobs.

Roussette · 22/05/2021 22:10

MM was never going to be an asset. She seems rather uncompromising in her views and didn't exactly come in looking to understand how it all works and how she could be most effective. It was all about her and what she needed/wanted. Being an expat isn't easy and assimilating takes time. She's been very happy to fling the RF under the bus when it was Charles who DID walk her down the isle. Surely her mental health issues were caused mostly by her absolutely diabolical father/half sister. It just feels like that is too painful for her so she's choosing to focus on a softer target

Please please can we not make this a MM or H bashing thread? There are so many of those that can be posted on if that's what you want.

This, to me, has been such an interesting discussion, please not let it get derailed again

Babdoc · 22/05/2021 22:12

If Diana had chosen to fasten her seatbelt, she would probably have survived. The guard did, and he was in the front seat. So her death was really due to her own actions, not the paparazzi or the chauffeur - although his drink driving is presumably what caused the crash in the first place.

derxa · 22/05/2021 22:16

@Babdoc

If Diana had chosen to fasten her seatbelt, she would probably have survived. The guard did, and he was in the front seat. So her death was really due to her own actions, not the paparazzi or the chauffeur - although his drink driving is presumably what caused the crash in the first place.
That's the sad truth Babdoc